Life experiences

The other day we were watching a documentary channel and a documentary about the Falklands War came on. We found it extra interesting because Tom lived in Argentina during this war (1982) and actually had his family's missionary work cut short because of anti-foreigner sentiment and their support also dried up due to mail not getting through as usual. This of course was way before ATM machines were available worldwide.

Tom with a friend in Argentina

Last night while watching BBC a news report about the 25 year anniversary of the Bhopal gas leak tragedy in India. This was something I lived through with my family. Due to God's protection and the fact that we lived across a lake from the area where the refinery was, our family was safe despite 8000 people dying over 3 days time.

My parents tried to keep the worst from us children by keeping us home away from the scenes of dead bodies lying in the streets but I saw the pictures in the newspaper. It was a sobering time for a 10 year old child who already had a bleeding heart. My dad would come home from working and volunteering and doing what he could with stories of people begging him to do more and asking if he were a doctor. I can't even imagine what that might have been like for him.

This was a big learning experience for me--most of the people that died were the poor working class that lived in slums and so while there was a lot of public outcry, today, 25 years on, not much has been done to help the survivors who still live with the effects of that tragedy. It makes you wonder if things would have been handled differently if it were in a different part of town or world.

My sister and I (I'm on the left). 

I'm wearing a punjabi top--a traditional Indian outfit.

I'm grateful that I've been able to learn so much about the world through real-life experiences. It has made me who I am and gives me the drive to do what I can to make a difference.